Receiving structure and automatic feeding system

ABSTRACT

A receiving structure providing real-time information as to the materials constituting its contents includes a box body, a first side plate, and a second side plate. The box body, the first side plate, and the second side plate forming a receiving space, and the receiving space receives materials. A discharge port is formed between the second side plate and the first side plate, the discharge port is in communication with the receiving space, and the discharge port is configured to take out the material. A material checking unit is provided on the first side plate, the material checking unit detects and enables real time identification of the materials in the receiving structure.

FIELD

The subject matter herein generally relates to a receiving structure andan automatic feeding system.

BACKGROUND

During production, manufacturing, and transportation of products,receiving structures are needed to package raw materials of the productor a finished product.

The receiving structure may currently be a closed packaging box. Theuser needs to manually open the packaging box to take out the rawmaterials. The quantity and type of materials or products in thepackaging box cannot be known until the box is opened, thus limiting theapplication of such packaging box in unmanned factories.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Implementations of the present technology will now be described, by wayof example only, with reference to the attached figures.

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of an embodiment of a receiving structure.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an embodiment of an automatic feedingsystem.

FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 1 but showing the receiving structure fromanother angle.

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic view of another embodiment of a receivingstructure.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of another embodiment of an automatic feedingsystem.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration,where appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among thedifferent figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. Inaddition, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide athorough understanding of the embodiments described herein. However, itwill be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that theembodiments described herein can be practiced without these specificdetails. In other instances, methods, procedures, and components havenot been described in detail so as not to obscure the related relevantfeature being described. Also, the description is not to be consideredas limiting the scope of the embodiments described herein. The drawingsare not necessarily to scale, and the proportions of certain parts maybe exaggerated to better illustrate details and features of the presentdisclosure.

The term “comprising,” when utilized, means “including, but notnecessarily limited to”; it specifically indicates open-ended inclusionor membership in the so-described combination, group, series, and thelike.

Some embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detailwith reference to the drawings. If no conflict, the embodiments andfeatures in the embodiments can be combined with each other.

Referring to FIG. 1 , an embodiment of a receiving structure 100 isprovided for storing materials 300. The receiving structure 100 includesa box body 10, a first side plate 20, and a second side plate 30. Thefirst side plate 20 and the second side plate 30 are connected to thebox body 10 to form a receiving space 40. A discharge port 42 is formedbetween the first side plate 20 and the second side plate 30. Thedischarge port 42 is in communication with the receiving space 40. Thereceiving structure 100 further includes a material checking unit 21,which detects a position and a quantity of the materials 300 in thereceiving structure 100.

Referring to FIG. 2 , an embodiment of an automatic feeding system 200is also provided. The automatic feeding system 200 includes thereceiving structure 100, a material taking device 210, an identificationdevice 220, and a processor 230. The material taking device 210 isdisposed at the discharge port 42 of the receiving structure 100. Thematerial taking device 210 can take the materials 300 out of thereceiving structure 100. The material taking device 210 can be connectedwith the processor 230 to control the material taking device 210 toperform corresponding actions. The processor 230 is connected to theidentification device 220 through electrical connection, communicationconnection, etc. The identification device 220 obtains a real-timestatus of the receiving structure 100 through the material checking unit21 on the receiving structure 100 and transmits the real-time status tothe processor 230. The processor 230 obtains the position and thequantity of the materials 300 in the receiving structure 100accordingly.

The materials 300 can be but are not limited to electronic products, rawmaterials, food bags, packing box, etc. The receiving structure 100 canbe applied in storehouses, food industries, factories, and the like. Thematerials 300 have a fixed shape. That is, when the receiving structure100 stores one kind of material (for example, mobile phones or trays),each of the materials 300 has a fixed size. In one embodiment, thematerials 300 are trays.

The receiving structure 100 can be made of, but is not limited to, atleast one of metal (such as aluminum, stainless steel), wood, paper,cloth, and polymer materials (such as PP, PE), which can be selectedaccording to a shape of the materials 300 and/or an ambient environment.

A shape of the receiving structure 100 is not limited. The shape of thereceiving structure 100 can be made according to the shape of thematerials 300 and/or the ambient environment. For example, the receivingstructure 100 can be in a shape of a rectangular parallelepiped, a cube,a hollow column, and the like.

In some embodiments, the receiving structure 100 is substantially in ashape of a rectangular parallelepiped. The first side plate 20 and thesecond side plate 30 are adjacent surfaces of the rectangularparallelepiped. The box body 10 is formed by surfaces of the rectangularparallelepiped other than the first side plate 20 and the second sideplate 30. The box body 10, the first side plate 20, and the second sideplate 30 are enclosed to form the receiving structure 100. The firstside plate 20 and the second side plate 30 have a certain angletherebetween and are spaced apart to form the discharge port 42. In someembodiments, the first side plate 20 and the second side plate 30 areperpendicular to each other. The discharge port 42 allows the materialtaking device 210 to grab the materials 300 through the discharge port42 and take the materials 300 out from the discharge port 42. Thematerial taking device 210 includes, but is not limited to, a robot arm,a suction cup, a clamping jaw, a hook, and the like.

The discharge port 42 is disposed on a surface of the first side plate20 facing the second side plate 30. A size of the discharge port 42matches a size of the materials 300 to be stored in the receivingstructure 100, so that the materials 300 can be freely taken out fromthe discharge port 42.

Referring to FIG. 3 , a direction perpendicular to the second side plate30 is defined as a first direction L1, and a direction parallel to thesecond side plate 30 and perpendicular to the first direction L1 isdefined as a second direction L2. Multiple materials 300 are included,which are disposed along the first direction L1. When the materials 300are disposed in the receiving structure 100, along the first directionL1, each material 300 includes a first width D1, and the discharge port42 includes a second width D2. The first width D1 and the second widthD2 satisfy a relation of D1<D2<2D1, that is, the second width is greaterthan the first width and less than twice of the first width, so thatonly one material 300 can be taken out of the receiving structure 100each time. Along the second direction L2, a length of the discharge port42 is greater than a length of the material 300.

In some embodiments, the second side plate 30 includes a material takingrecess 32, and the material taking recess 32 is recessed along thesecond side plate 30 away from the discharge port 42. The materialtaking recess 32 is in communication with the receiving space 40 and thedischarge port 42. The material taking recess 32 may be a groove or athrough hole. The material taking device 210 can pass through thematerial taking recess 32 and through the material 300 disposed at thedischarge port 42, and then automatically take the material 300 out ofthe material taking recess 32 and the discharge port 42.

Along the direction parallel to the second side plate 30, an area of thematerial taking recess 32 is smaller than an area of the material 300,so that the material 300 can be disposed in the receiving structure 100and supported on the second side plate 30 and prevented from collapsing.

Referring to FIG. 3 again, in some embodiments, when the receivingstructure 100 is in use, along a direction of gravity, the second sideplate 30 is disposed at the bottom of the receiving structure 100, thatis, the second side plate 30 is perpendicular to the direction ofgravity. When one material 300 disposed at the discharge port 42 istaken out, the exit of other materials 300 is prevented due to thelimitation of the size of the discharge port 42. The remaining materials300 move down automatically under the action of gravity.

Referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 4 , in some embodiments, the automaticfeeding system 200 further includes a pushing device 240. The receivingstructure 100 includes an opening 12 at one end away from the secondside plate 30. The pushing device 240 can pass through the opening 12and bear against one material 300 away from the second side plate 30.The pushing device 240 is used to push the materials 300 in thereceiving structure 100. After the material 300 disposed at thedischarge port 42 is taken out, the pushing device 240 pushes theremaining materials 300 in the first direction L1 toward the second sideplate 30, causing the materials 300 to abut the second side plate 30.

The material checking unit 21 may be at least one of a viewing port 22or a first identification code 26. When the material checking unit 21includes the first identification code 26, the identification device 220is needed to scan the first identification code 26. The firstidentification code 26 includes, but is not limited to, a barcode, atwo-dimensional code, an electronic label, and the like. The materialchecking unit 21 can detect the quantity of the remaining materials 300in the receiving structure 100 in real time and feedback information asto the quantity.

In an embodiment, the material checking unit 21 includes the viewingport 22. The viewing port 22 is disposed on the receiving structure 100along the first direction L1. The viewing port 22 is connected with thereceiving space 40, so that the user can physically see the quantity andthe position of the materials 300 in the receiving structure 100, sothat the user can replace the receiving structure 100, or replace orsupplement materials 300 with replacements or additions, etc. Theviewing port 22 is disposed on the surface of the first side plate 20along the first direction L1. In other embodiments, the viewing port 22can be disposed on the surface of the box body 10, except for thesurface opposite to the second side plate 30.

The viewing port 22 may be only one port or a plurality of sub-viewingports 22 a formed alternately. In an embodiment, the viewing port 22 isformed by a staggered plurality of sub-viewing ports 22 a. Thus, thestructural strength of the first side plate 20 is maintained.

In some embodiments, a transparent material (not shown) covers theviewing port 22. The transparent material can prevent externalcontaminants (such as dust) from entering the receiving structure 100through the viewing port 22.

In order to allow the user to conveniently observe the quantity of thematerials 300 in the receiving structure 100 through the viewing port22, a peripheral edge of the viewing port 22 may also be provided withan identification unit 24.

The identification unit 24 includes at least one of scale marks, secondidentification codes, and serial numbers. The scale marks, the secondidentification codes, or the serial numbers are uniformly disposed alongthe first direction L1. A width of each the scale marks, the secondidentification codes, or the serial numbers is equal to the first widthD1 of each material 300, so that the user can recognize the materials300 in the receiving structure 100. In an embodiment, the identificationunit 24 includes scale marks and serial numbers, and the serial numbersare disposed on a periphery of the scale marks. The secondidentification code includes, but is not limited to, barcode,two-dimensional code, electronic tag, etc. The serial numbers may be ina form of numbers, letters, colors, and texts. For example, the serialnumbers may be in a form of “1, 2, 3, 4 . . . ”, “A, B, C, D . . . ”,“a, b, c, d . . . ”, “I, II, III, IV . . . ”, “A, B, C, D . . . ”, or“red, orange, yellow, green . . . ”. The numbers of the serial numbersor other characters progress in a sequence from a side close to thedischarge port 42 to other side away from the discharge port 42. Thefirst number of the progression of serial numbers is disposed at thedischarge port 42.

The processor 230 can be a central processing unit (CPU), amicroprocessor, a computer, or other data processing device. Theidentification device 220 transmits to the processor 230 identificationinformation of the materials 300 corresponding to adjacentidentification units 24 in the viewing port 22. The processor 230determines the quantity of the materials 300 according to a differenceof the materials 300 corresponding to the adjacent identification units24.

In an embodiment, the identification device 220 can visually identifythe identification information of the materials 300. The identificationdevice 220 can be a camera (such as a CCD camera), which can captureimages of the receiving structure 100 containing the materials 300 andtransmit the images to the processor 230. The processor 230 recognizesthe positions and the quantity of the materials 300 in the receivingstructure 100. The quantity of the materials 300 is determined accordingto the presence or absence of materials 300 corresponding to theadjacent identification units 24.

In some embodiments, the identification device 220 can also identify thematerials 300 by distance detection. For example, the identificationdevice 220 can use infrared beam or laser beam to detect distance andtransmit the detected distance to the processor 230. The position andthe quantity of the materials 300 in the receiving structure 100 can bedetermined according to the detected distance. Referring to FIG. 5 , thereceiving structure 100 further includes an emitting device 270, theemitting device 270 is disposed above the viewing port 22. The emittingdevice 270 can emit the infrared beam or the laser beam toward theviewing port 22. The distance when materials 300 are present and thedistance when there are no materials 300 are different.

In some embodiments, the emitting device 270 can also be installed at anend of the receiving structure 100 away from the second side plate 30.The emitting device 270 emits the infrared beam or laser beam toward thematerials 300, and the processor 230 determines the position and thequantity of the materials 300 according to the distance from theemitting device 270 to the materials 300.

In some embodiments, the material checking unit 21 is a combination ofthe first identification code 26 and the viewing port 22. The firstidentification code 26 can be disposed on an outer surface of thereceiving structure 100. The processor 230 calculates the position andthe quantity of the materials 300 in the receiving structure 100 andtransmits such information to the first identification code 26 in realtime. When the information in the first identification code 26 is read,the position and the quantity of the materials 300 in the receivingstructure 100 can also be obtained in real time.

In some embodiments, the material checking unit 21 can be the firstidentification code 26. A third identification code may also be providedon a visible surface of each material 300. The third identification codeincludes at least one of a barcode, a two-dimensional code, and anelectronic label. In a single embodiment, the first identification codeand the third identification code can be the same or can be different.

After each material 300 is taken out of the receiving structure 100, theinformation stored in the third identification code will change, theprocessor 230 obtains the changed identification information in thethird identification code, then the processor 230 obtains the changedinformation in the third identification code, so as to obtain theposition and the quantity of the materials 300 in the receivingstructure 100 in real time. The information, such as the position andthe quantity of the materials 300 of the receiving structure 100, ischanged in the first identification code 26. When the material checkingunit 21 is the first identification code 26, the identification device220 also can identify the information of the materials 300 by distancedetection, and then the processor 230 can calculate the position and thequantity of the materials 300 in the receiving structure 100.

The automatic feeding system 200 further can include a warning unit 250.The warning unit 250 can generate an alarm, such as a sound alarm, alight alarm, and a communication alarm. The warning unit 250 isconnected to the processor 230 through an electrical connection or acommunication connection. The warning unit 250 can be disposed on thereceiving structure 100 or on other components. When the quantity of thematerials 300 in the receiving structure 100 are less than a presetthreshold, the warning unit 250 can issue an alarm.

The automatic feeding system 200 further includes a display unit 260connected to the processor 230, and the display unit 260 can displaycollected information as to the materials 300.

It is to be understood, even though information and advantages of thepresent embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description,together with details of the structures and functions of the presentembodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only; changes may be made indetail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of partswithin the principles of the present embodiments to the full extentindicated by the plain meaning of the terms in which the appended claimsare expressed.

What is claimed is:
 1. A receiving structure, comprising: a box body; afirst side plate connected to the box body; and a second side plateconnected to the box body; the box body, the first side plate, and thesecond side plate forming a receiving space, and the receiving spaceconfigured to receiving materials; wherein, a discharge port is formedbetween the second side plate and the first side plate, the dischargeport is in communication with the receiving space; and the receivingstructure further comprising a material checking unit disposed on thefirst side plate, and the material checking unit is configured to detectthe materials in the receiving structure.
 2. The receiving structure ofclaim 1, wherein the material checking unit comprises a firstidentification code, and the first identification code is disposed onthe box body.
 3. The receiving structure of claim 1, wherein thematerial checking unit comprises a first identification code, and thefirst identification code is disposed on the box body; the firstidentification code comprises at least one of a barcode, atwo-dimensional code, and an electronic label.
 4. The receivingstructure of claim 1, wherein the receiving structure further comprisesa material taking recess, the material taking recess is disposed on thesecond side plate and recessed away from the discharge port, thematerial taking recess is in communication with the receiving space andthe discharge port.
 5. The receiving structure of claim 1, wherein anopening is disposed on the receiving structure and faces away from thesecond side plate, and the opening is communicated with the receivingspace.
 6. The receiving structure of claim 1, wherein a directionperpendicular to the second side plate is defined as a first direction;along the first direction, each of the material has a first width, andthe discharge port has a second width; the second width is greater thanthe first width and less than twice of the first width.
 7. The receivingstructure of claim 1, wherein the material checking unit comprises aviewing port, a direction perpendicular to the second side plate isdefined as a first direction, the viewing port is disposed on the boxbody and along the first direction, and the viewing port is incommunication with the receiving space.
 8. The receiving structure ofclaim 7, wherein the viewing port comprises only one port or a pluralityof sub-viewing ports, and the plurality of sub-viewing ports aredisposed in a staggered manner along the first direction.
 9. Thereceiving structure of claim 7, wherein an identification unit isdisposed on a periphery of the viewing port.
 10. The receiving structureof claim 9, wherein the identification unit comprises at least one ofscale marks, second identification codes, and serial numbers, the scalemarks, the second identification codes, or the serial numbers areuniformly disposed along the first direction.
 11. The receivingstructure of claim 10, wherein the second identification code comprisesat least one of a barcode, a two-dimensional code, and an electroniclabel.
 12. The receiving structure of claim 10, wherein the serialnumbers comprise at least one of numbers, letters, colors, andcharacters.
 13. An automatic feeding system, comprising: a receivingstructure comprising: a box body; a first side plate connected to thebox body; and a second side plate connected to the box body; the boxbody, the first side plate, and the second side plate forming areceiving space, and the receiving space configured to receivingmaterials; wherein, a discharge port is formed between the second sideplate and the first side plate, the discharge port is in communicationwith the receiving space; the receiving structure further comprising amaterial checking unit disposed on the first side plate, and thematerial checking unit configured to detect the materials in thereceiving structure; wherein a material taking device configured to takematerials disposed at the discharge port out of the receiving structure;an identification device configured to obtain an identificationinformation of the materials in the receiving structure through thematerial checking unit; and a processor configured to determine aposition and a quantity of the materials in the receiving structureaccording to the identification information.
 14. The automatic feedingsystem of claim 13, wherein the material checking unit comprises a firstidentification code, and the first identification code is disposed onthe box body.
 15. The automatic feeding system of claim 13, wherein thematerial checking unit comprises a first identification code, and thefirst identification code is disposed on the box body; the firstidentification code comprises at least one of a barcode, atwo-dimensional code, and an electronic label.
 16. The automatic feedingsystem of claim 13, wherein the receiving structure further comprises amaterial taking recess, the material taking recess is disposed on thesecond side plate and recessed away from the discharge port, thematerial taking recess is in communication with the receiving space andthe discharge port.
 17. The automatic feeding system of claim 13,wherein an opening is disposed on the receiving structure and faces awayfrom the second side plate, and the opening is communicated with thereceiving space.
 18. The automatic feeding system of claim 13, wherein adirection perpendicular to the second side plate is defined as a firstdirection; along the first direction, each of the material has a firstwidth, and the discharge port has a second width; the second width isgreater than the first width and less than twice of the first width.